Visa approval in China!

Not a lot of news to report, but we just received a letter from the National Visa Center that Laikyns visa approval was sent to the US Consulate in Guangzhou on the 23rd. We forwarded it to our agency who forwarded it to their reps in China. They said that they will now deliver all our paperwork to the consulate tomorrow and then our Artcle 5 should be ready in 2 weeks. When they pick up our Article 5, the reps will forward it to Beijing where they will issue our travel approval. So it looks like about four weeks until travel approval.

Missing Hope!!

Is it possible to miss someone you have never met!! I would have never thought so until Laikyn Hope became my daughter! With Jillian, we traveled eight weeks after seeing her picture and accepting her referral. From then it was a whirlwind, so I didn't have as much time to dwell on what was happening. It has now been eight months since we first saw Laikyn in August. When we received our update in December, I was shocked. She had grown so much that at first I thought they sent me pictures of the wrong child! I began to realize how much I was missing. I began to think about what her birth was like and how fragile and scared she must have been as she was brought to the orphanage at six months old. Then how scared she must have been to be admitted to the hospital surrounded by only strangers and no mommy to comfort her. Then after a year of milestones and settling into a routine, to be suddenly sent to a whole new home with foster care. The strongest of us may not have survived it, but my girl did! That must be why God led me to name her Hope! She is the picture of Hope in a seemingly hopeless situation! Her pictures don't show a scared and fragile baby. She looks confident and happy to me. For that, she is my hero and I miss her like crazy! We are supposed to be getting an update on her before we travel, so everyday, I open my email with great anticipation, but nothing so far... I just long to see her face again. I want to know how she is doing. Her Hopeful Mommy!!!

One Step Closer

March 19, 2012 - Today we received our I800 approval which is our approval by immigration to declare Laikyn an immediate relative. We were told that it would take about two weeks and it arrived in exactly two weeks on the dot. I am comparing this to being in labor and your doctor telling you that it's almost time to push!! Now this will be faxed to China so they can process her visa and we can apply for our visas through the Chinese Consulate in WashingtonDC.

Everything is on schedule right now and we are praying it stays that way.

Thank you Lord!

Still waiting...March 9,2012

Since receiving our letter of acceptance, we have accomplished several tasks. We immediately filed our I800 which is the immigration approval to declare Laikyn an immediate relative. We also sent our her Visa form to our agency on Thursday. We also have a travel packet that we are now trying to complete by next week. We have it all filled out and now have to take Jillian for a travel physical and have everything notarized. The next step will be to apply for our Visas. We are hoping and praying that everything stays on schedule! I had forgotten that we had so much paperwork to do between approval and travel. I have been sick with a virus this week and have spent a lot of time in bed. I found myself on YouTube watching Gotcha Day videos that people had posted and imaging what our day will hold. Of course every child seems to have a very different reaction. Some scream, some shut down, some look indifferent and very few look happy. When Jillbug was handed to me, she was wide eyed but quiet. Since she was so small, I was able to hold her to me and cry for a while. I'm not sure how a two year old will take to a trembly, blubbering mom! I'm imagining she will be very fearful and maybe hysterical, but I hope not. I'm trying to think of all kinds of goodies and toys that might help distract her , but in the end, I guess we will just have to work through whatever happens. Whether it is beautiful and sweet, or traumatic and frustrating, Im sure it will be everything I've ever dreamed of.

LOA

JOYFUL NEWS YESTERDAY!!! WE WERE APPROVED!!

Since our dossier was logged into China's CCCWA on January 16th, we were told that it would be approximately 8 weeks until our letter of acceptance. As our dossier worked through various depts. we would not receive any news and to consider no news to be good news. I made it to week 5 without too much fretting and then last Wed. through Fri. we got a series of emails from our agency about travel. I began to wonder if that meant they knew our LOA was coming. So then the fretting began. I had a really grumpy and emotional weekend! When I didnt receive a phone call by Monday afternoon, I resigned myself to the fact that it just wasnt time yet. So as soon as the last bus left, I settled at my desk to finish some paperwork and check email. The very first email was from CCAI and said, "Congratulations, your letter of approval has arrived!" I'm glad the students were gone because I cried like a baby! Happily Rob had just pulled into our school for a fundraiser meeting, so I was able to tell him right away. The siblings were all thrilled and couldnt stop talking about Laikyn. She has already been part of this family since August and they are so ready for her to be here. For me, the milestones have been the hardest part. When she turned 2 on the 13th, I could hardly stand it. I am so thrilled to be so close to bringing her home and loving on her. As I went to bed last night, I was scanning through Pinterest and it was so cool that an adoptive mom had posted pictures of some of our favorite memories of our last trip to China; the White Swan, Lucy's and our coming home Barbie. Amazing how those things happen at just the right time. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt God called us to this. It was only one year ago that we moved from turmoil to certainty that we were to make this step. Now this has confirmed what we already knew! She is really ours!! What's next for us? Tonight we finished our acceptance letter and Visa application. We will overnight it back tomorrow and from there it is estimated that we will travel in about ten weeks. We will wait for her Visa and then China will cable the travel approval which is an invitation to come get our baby! From there, the agency will make our consulate appointment and travel arrangements.

DTC: January 6, 2012

Yesterday we cleared another hurdle in the adoption process. WE ARE DTC!!!

The agency finished reviewing and translating our dossier and has now been sent to China. This date in adoptionese stands for Dossier To China. It should be in route for 3-5 days and then will be logged in to CCCWA in China. We will be notified by email from our agency's China office as soon as that happens. Now we just have two hurdles left.... Letter of Acceptance and then Travel Approval! The timeline looks like about 8 weeks or so for each step, so I am thinking we could be ready to go get our daughter by May. That still seems so far away, but I know that as busy as we are with this school year, that it will sneak up on us before we know it! I am more than ready to bring her home, and I'm sure the waiting and wondering is going to be hard, but I know the timing is in God's hands. I am so thankful for how far he has brought us in the last 9 months! We finished our Hague adoption classes over the break and only have to read one more book and complete a child CPR class. We also need to organize bedrooms and play space to prepare for a toddler, so we have plenty to keep us occupied while we wait. Here's hoping for speedy travel approval!

Christmas 2011

We had a blessed celebration of Christ's birth again this year! Our first party began on Friday the 23rd at our house with the Kruse's. We ordered a boston butt and then all made side dishes to go with it. Everyone had a great time eating, talking and opening gifts, especially Granny's traditional junk boxes! The only tragedy was when Korbin was trying to trapeze between the couch and recliner and ended up with a black eye!

On the 24th, we spent a lazy morning and then visited with Dad in the afternoon until Brandon got off work at Bill's. While we were at Dad's, Santa came and left a gift for each child as well as a full stocking with candy, bath stuff and ping pong equipment. They didnt understand that one since we dont have a table. They each opened all their gifts and then found one more gift in the garage that was to all three of them.... A Ping Pong Table!! :) Since Christmas we have had some exciting and competitive games in this house, with Brandon making up new rules as he goes along. Jillian's gifts were UDraw for Wii, Farkle, Jungle Racer, Brain Break, movies, clothes. Korbin got Mario Cart game and Mario K'nex, Joker House with figures, Angry Birds, and clothes/boots. Brandon got Beats by Dre headphones, which he shopped and paid for with money we gave him for Christmas along with some money he had saved. Laikyn had a magical teapot set under the tree and she will get to open it when she comes home.

Christmas Day began with a Christmas service at church. We were able to meet our new cousin Noah who has just come home from Ethiopia and is sooo adorable! We declared the rest of the day as pajama day and just played with toys and games all day.

On Monday the 26th we had our final celebration at Gay's house in Tennessee. We had our traditional meal and then had the kids exchange gifts with whoever they had drawn. The adults played a Secret Santa game with at least 5 of the gifts being Cracker Barrel cards. We discussed banning gift cards next year. Next, we played Newlywed game with Brandon and Savannah being this year's winners. Dana and Kassidy came in 2nd!! Seems like the real couples need to talk a little more! :) Rob and I had discussed answers before the game and unfortunately Gay changed all the questions. We decided we do worse when he takes it seriously anyway!

All of the kids had a great time with their cousins and look forward to the next family get together!